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(No Model.)

H. A. OWEN.

SPINNING MAUHINE. No. 573,692. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

\NFLHEEEEE Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HEXRY A. OWEN, OF \VHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE \VHITIN MACHINE VORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

SPINNING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,692, dated December 22, 1896.

Application filed June 30, 1896. Serial No. 597,532. (No model.)

.'0 (I/ZZ whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, HENRY A. OWEN, of hitinsville, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spinning- Frames; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speci- IO fication.

This invention has reference to improvements in spinning-machines, and has particular reference to improvements in the mechanism for actuating the ring-rails.

The object of the invention is to so construct the lifter-arm forming part of the ring-railactuating mechanism that it may be locked against the action of the counterweights.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of spinning-machines with reference to the ring-rail-actuating mechanism.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the lifter-arm and in the combi- 2 5 nation therewith of the locking device.

The invention also consists in the peculiar locking device.

The invention still further consists of such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims. a

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of portions of a spinning-machine, showing one of the lifterra-ils, the counterweight, the lifterrod, and the lower rail, with the improved lockin g mechanism mounted on the lifter-arm and engaged with the lower rail. Fig. 2 represents a similar view of parts of the machine, showing the lifter-arm and its locking mechanism at their upper traverse. Fig. repre sents an enlarged edge view of the lifter-arm with its lockin g mechanism engaged with the lower rail.

Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

In the operation of a spinning machine when the bobbin becomes filled with yarn it becomes necessary to remove the filled bobbins from the spindles and to replace them rock-shaft which is furnished with a counterweight and a lifter-rod interposed between the lifter-arm and the ring-rail it is neces saryto depress the free end of the lifter-arm when the ring-rail is brought down to the doffin g position and to hold the lifter-ar1n in the depressed position against the action of the counterweight, which tends to balance the weight of the ring-rail. mechanism and to lift the same.

The lifter-arm must be positively held in the depressed position during doffing, as the chain connection between the lifter-arm and the operating mechanism is at this time slack and does not support the counterweight. If, therefore, the lifter-arm was suddenly released, it would be thrown upward so quickly by the action of the counterweight as to cause breakage to parts of the machine.

In the drawings, 5 indicates the lower rail, and 6 the spindle-rail, of any usual spinningmachine. On the spindle-rail are supported spindles, and above the spindle-rail is the ringrail '7, carrying rings 8 8, which embrace the spindles. The ring-rail is mounted on any usual number of lifter-rods, as 9, which are actuated to traverse the ring-rail by lifterarms operatively mounted in the lower portion of the machine. The rock-shaft 10 is mounted in bearings, as 11, and has an arm 12, on which is the counterweight 13, designed to rock the shaft 10 against the weight of the ring-rail and the leverage of the lifter-arm.

On the rock-shaft 10 is secured the lifterarm ll, having the extension 15, to which is connected the chain 16, generally connected with the operating mechanism to rock the shaft 10 and to depress the lifter-arm 14 against the action of the weight 13. At the forward or free end the lifter-arm 14 is furnished with slotted portions, in which may be secured the shaft of a roller-bearing 26 for supporting the lower end of the lifterrod. Forward of these slotted portions is a pair of laterally-extending ears 17, and the extreme end of the arm is fashioned in the shape of astep or foot-support 18, while on the inner side of the arm below the ears 17 is the stop 19. V

Between the ears 17 17 is pivoted the arm 20, having formed in part therewith the step 21, the counterweight 22, the finger 23, and the rod 24, and on the rod 24: is mounted the locking-block 25, which may be either fixed or adjustable.

When it becomes necessary to depress the ring-rail, the operator places his foot on the step 21 and bears down. This action depresses the lifter-arm 14 against the counterweight 13 and at the same time overcomes the counterweight 22, so that when the block 25 comes below the lower rail 5 the arm swings on its pivot until the block is to move the rod 2% away from the lower rail 5 until the finger 23 strikes the stop 19, when the block 25 will be in a position to move past the lower rail as the lifter-arm moves up and down.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the lifter-arm, of a locking mechanism carried by the arm, and a depressing device for the arm operatively connected with the locking mechanism.

2. In a spinning-machine the combination with the lifter-arm, of a locking mechanism pivotaliy mounted on the arm, and having a device for depressing the arm, and provided with a depressing member, whereby when the depressing member is operated to depress the lifter-arm, the locking mechanism will be moved to lock said arm.

3. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the lifter-arm, of a combined locking device, and depressing portion operatively mounted on the lifter-arm.

4. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the lifter-arm, of a locking device, comprising a counterweighted locking-arm, and a step, mounted on the lifter-arm.

5. The combination with the lifter-arm 14, having the step 18, of a locking mechanism mounted on said arm, and designed to engage the lower rail.

6. The combination with the lifter-arm 14, having the step 18, the stop 19, and the ears 17 17, of the arm 20, pivoted between said ears, and having the step 21, the weight 22, the finger 23, and the rod 24:, and the block 25 secured to said rod.

7 HENRY A. OIVEN.

IVitnesses: S. M. PoLLooK, GEO. B. HAMBLIN. 

